Instead of turning to its past with the available Ken Hitchcock or bringing in an experienced hand like former Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish, Nieuwendyk is promoting an NHL newcomer who coached his American Hockey League team, the Texas Stars, for the past two seasons.

Gulutzan, 39, led the Stars to the 2010 Calder Cup finals in their inaugural season and piloted them to the West Division finals this past season. He beat out Hitchcock, Montreal assistant and former Dallas player Kirk Muller and Nashville assistant Peter Horachek.